Chapter 4

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 estion:
Why is needs assessment information critical to
the development and delivery of an effective
HRD program?

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› eed assessment is a process by which an organizationǯs
HRD needs are identified and artic lated.
A need assessment can identify:
› An organizationǯs goals and its effectiveness in reaching
these goals
› Discrepancies b/w employeesǯ skills and the skills
req ired for effective c rrent performance
› Discrepancies b/w c rrent skills and skills needed to
perform job s ccessf lly in f t re
› The conditions nder which the HRD activity will occ r
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HRD Process Model PDM/ISD Model
› Assess › Analyze need
› Design › Design training
› Develop
› Prod ce pilot
› Eval ate pilot
› Implement › Deliver training
› Eval ate › Improve

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› A discrepancy between expectations and performance
› ot only Dzperformancedz needs involved



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› Performance
› Diagnostic
› Factors that can prevent problems from occ rring
› Analytic
› Identify new or better ways to do things
› Compliance
› Mandated by law or reg lation

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› Foc sing only on individ al performance deficiencies
› Doesnǯt fix gro p of systemic problems
› Ê
  with a DzTraining eeds Assessmentdz
› If yo know training is needed, why waste everyoneǯs
time?


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› rsing  estionnaires
› Training inp t can be good, yet s ch open-ended
q estions can enco rage s ggestions that are not tied to
organizational res lts.
› rsing soft data (opinions) only
› Opinions need to be linked to performance and
conseq ence data
› rsing hard data only
› Easily meas red data is provided, b t critical, hard-to-
meas re data is missing
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› Organization
› r

is training needed and nder what conditions?
› Task
› r
m st be done to perform the job effectively?
› Person
› r  sho ld be trained and how?

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› A broad, Dzsystemsdz view is needed
› eed to identify:
› Organizational goals
› Organizational reso rces
› Organizational climate
› Environmental constraints

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› Ties HRD programs to corporate or organizational
goals
› Strengthens the link between profit and HRD actions
› Strengthens corporate s pport for HRD
› Makes HRD more of a reven e generator
› ot a profit waster

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› Mission statement/Goals, objectives
› HR inventory
› Skills inventory
›  ality of Working Life indicators(org climate index)
› Efficiency indexes (cost acco nting concepts of ratios,
Variations)
› System changes
› Exit interviews

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› The collection of data abo t a specific job or gro p of
jobs
› What employee needs to know to perform a job or jobs
(optimal performance)
› KSAOs

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› ob descriptions
› Task analysis
› Performance standards
› Perform job
› Observe job
› Ask q estions
› Analysis of problems

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› Develop job description
› Identify job tasks
› What sho ld be done
› What is act ally done
› Describe KSAOs needed
› Identify potential training areas
› Prioritize potential training areas

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› ob description
arrative statement of the major activities involved in
performing the job and the conditions nder which
these activities are performed.
› ob Analysis:
Systematic st dy of a job to identify its major
components.
› ob analysis process involves:
› Observation of job being performed
› Asking job inc mbents and s pervisors q estions abo t
the job, tasks, working conditions and KSAOs
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› The major tasks within the job
› How each task sho ld be performed (Standards)
› The variability of performance (Act al)
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› Stim l s -response Ȃfeedback
› Time Sampling
› Critical Incident Techniq e
› ob Inventories
› ob-d ty-task Method
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Job title: HRD Professional Specific duty: Task Analysis

Tasks Subtasks Knowledge and Skills Required

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› Which tasks and capabilities sho ld be incl ded in
HRD programs.
› Highest rating of KSAOs to be incl ded for HRD.
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› Prioritize
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 estion:
Yo have been asked to perform a task analysis for the
job of Complaint Receiver in a TELECOM SERVICE
company.
Which method(s) of task analysis do yo think are
most appropriate for analyzing this job?

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› Determines training needs for specific individ als
› Based on many so rces of data
› S mmary Analysis
› Determine overall s ccess of the individ al
› Diagnostic Analysis
› Discover reasons for performance

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› Relied on heavily in person analysis
› Hard to do
› Vital to company and individ al
› Sho ld be VERY confidential
› Based too often on personal opinion

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› Determine basis for appraisal
› ob description, MBO objectives, job standards, etc.
› Cond ct the appraisal
› Determine discrepancies between the standard and
performance
› Identify so rce(s) of discrepancies
› Select ways to resolve discrepancies

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› There are never eno gh reso rces available
› M st prioritize efforts
› eed f ll organizational involvement in this process
› Involve an HRD Advisory Committee.

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› HRD cannot become a slow-acting b rea cracy!!
› DzThe Attack on ISDdz article (Text p. 156)
› HRD m st respond to corporate needs
› HRD sho ld be foc sed on Dzperformance
improvement,dz and not j st Dztrainingdz

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› Why is needs assessment so often  performed in
many organizations?

› Why g organizations care abo t needs

assessment?

"Y